Timing Fertilizer Applications

Timing Fertilizer Applications

In the landscape, plants are fertilized in spring and fall. Fertilizing twice a year is preferable to the common practice of fertilizing every two to three years.

The best time to fertilize is fall, generally after the first hard freeze in September or October. The next best time would be before growth begins in early spring, usually between March and early May. If fertilizer is not applied in the fall or the spring, it may be applied up to July 1. Fertilizer applied after July 1 could promote a late flush of growth that may not have time to mature before freezing temperatures occur in the fall.